A 7-Day Truth TalkExemplo

Molly was excited because she was about to launch an exciting new ministry at her church. She was fulfilling a long-time desire to serve the Lord in this way. Just days before the big kick-off, Molly began to have doubts about her ability to lead this ministry well. She remembered back to her high-school years when her mom had been pretty hard on her. Her criticism was harsh and had hurt Molly. Ever since those days, Molly doubted whether God could effectively use her. Maybe she wasn’t the person best suited for this type of job.

Molly’s story is like many of ours. We have memories of words spoken to us, and we let those words dictate our future. It wasn’t until Molly remembered what she had been learning about speaking the truth to herself that she found herself finally breaking free from these old hurts. Unfortunately, many of us tell ourselves lies about who we are. We place our unhealthy, acquired opinions of who others say we are above who God says we are. We need to change this.

Psalm 42 is a great place for us to gain some insights into how to effectively speak truth to ourselves. For some reason, the psalmist is discouraged. In verse 5, he asks the question, “Why am I so discouraged; why is my heart so sad?” He was looking at his ordinary self, his mundane circumstances, and his meager abilities. He most likely had his head hung low as he thought about his value and worth. Self-analysis has its place, but then we must counter any lies with God’s Word. The writer then said something that you and I can learn from. He said, “I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God.” And as he said those words, it was as if his head were lifted, lifted up to see the God of the universe. At that moment, he determined that remembering Who God was and what He could do was the path he would take. He was resolute that he would look up and no longer look down! 

At this moment, the psalmist, in a sense, “took every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” The battle for the mind was fought and won on the truth of the writer’s hope in God’s sovereignty, His character, and His promises. Today, let’s remember that our hope is in Christ alone, and He alone has made us set-apart people—people who trade looking down for looking up. Speaking the truth is the way to do this!

Was this plan helpful? This plan was written by Anne Farnum, author of Pack Your Baggage, Honey, We're Moving to Paris: What Women Need to Know About Living Free From Emotional Baggage. Learn more at www.authorannefarnum.com.